Method of Comforting
by jonidep
Summary: It all started with the rumor of Yoshino leaving his husband. As Ino confirmed it to be the actual fact, she just had the urge to comfort his dad's best friend...
1. Chapter 1

**Hello readers! This Ino fic happened in Naruto world though in a completely peaceful universe! Thank you!**

**Naruto belongs to … Masashi Kishimoto.**

**Method of Comforting**

Ino woke up that day by her mother storming in her room with eagerness in her gray eyes. Her mother was a symbol of fragility; her skin was very pale and she had hair that is even whiter than Kakashi's.

"What is it, mom?" Ino sat up, looked at her mother with sleepy look.

If Ino's knowledge of jutsu and intelligence was taken after her father, then, her gossiping and flirty trait was taken after her mother.

Her mother's appearance was a betrayal to her behavior. Even though she's completely loyal to her father, but unlike Nara Yoshino, she's more to the gentler and flirtier type. She was practically the biggest reason of why Yamanaka flower shop could be as big and running now.

Her friendliness just kept the customer came back even when it's not necessary.

"I heard a gossip. Yoshino-san was having a tryst with a younger chuunin! I forget who his name was, but can't you believe that? To think that Yoshino would be so cruel to her family to do that, it sounds like almost impossible."

Ino herself choked when she heard that. Shikamaru's mother cheating? That sure is awkward. She knew Yoshino since she could ever remember for the Nara and Yamanaka clan was so close. Inoichi and Shikaku were like brothers to each other, and this led to Ino spent most of her childhood with the Nara household for her mother was busy with the store and Inoichi was rarely at home. Shikaku was her idol back then as she always thought Yoshino as her competitor.

She used to have a big crush on Shikaku.

Yet, she still liked Yoshino since in her early years of living; they spend time together a lot.

Her bossy trait was probably taken after Yoshino.

"You mean … Nara Yoshino, Mom? As in Shikamaru's mother?" Ino asked, with the same eager voice. Her mother nodded vigorously.

"I closed the shop as soon as I heard that to tell you." Her mother waved her long white hair. Ino stared for awhile.

"I'll confirm it, Mom." She said as she got out of the bed. Her mother smiled at her and patted her on her shoulder.

"Inform me later, okay?" She said as she closed the door.

Ino sighed even though she felt challenged inside.

True or not, this is not gonna be a short and easy day for her.

Because Nara Clan's trouble is her trouble.

XXX

Apparently, things get easier to Ino as she wandered around the Konoha Street wondering who she could consider as the most trustful informant ever. Shikamaru was out there in the Sand, seems like prolonging his stay there, even though she'd love to ask him directly, but now, he probably hadn't heard of the issue. Also, it would be considered inappropriate to ask Yoshino herself directly.

"_So, Yoshino-san, I heard you have sex with other man last nigt?"_

Gosh, she's lack of informant right now.

Before realizing that she was the most trustful informant of gossip in Konoha herself, she crashed someone. As she growled noticing her hand was being held to prevent her from falling down, she looked up to find her own dad staring at her.

"Ino! A ninja should be more careful than that!" He said as he released her hold. Ino nodded and muttered a 'sorry' and take a good look at her father. Akimichi Chouza was standing on his left. And on his right … there's …

Nara Shikaku.

Ino gasped as she saw him and quickly looked at her dad back. That is it. If there is one person in this world who could confirm the gossip right now, it is Shikaku himself.

"I think I haven't had a proper greeting." She started.

"Good morning, Chouza-san. Shikaku-san." She bowed. And the she looked at Shikaku. The scarred man looked at her back.

"I offer my condolences to what happen with Yoshino-san, Shikaku-san." She said with innocent face.

The sentences gave the trio a surprise.

Shikaku narrowed his eyes to her while Inoichi and Chouza looked at the scarred man with a huge question mark above their head. But the shadow master only sighed gruffly.

"Yes, thank you, Ino." He said softly. Ino felt guilty for making Shikaku fell in this kind of condition. She hadn't expected that her father and Chouza hadn't known about this. She thought that her mother was told by her father, but it proved wrong. She guessed her mother's gossiping skill was something beyond imagination. She really could make a good spy.

"What is happening to Yoshino, Shikaku?" Inoichi asked. Shikaku looked at her as if blaming her for saying those.

"Nothing." He started, obviously wanted to run away from the topic as soon as possible. It would be too troublesome and painful to explain it.

"And I think we should hurry. Godaime-sama won't like it very much if we stall coming to her any longer." He said as he walked past through Ino as the blonde haired girl shot him a sorry look. Her father and Chouza looked at her with questions as they followed the Nara head. Ino ignored it however and still with a feeling of guilt, she paced to the flower shop.

"Welcome!" Her mother voice was as cheerful as it's always been has.

"Ino! How was it?" Her mother asked. Ino leaned closer to her mom.

"He confirmed it." Ino said with a smug smile. Her mother raised her eyebrows.

"Who's he?"

"Shikaku-san."

"Really? Then, double confirm it with the man Yoshino-san had a tryst with." Her mother hummed while arranging a flower bucket.

"Oh, you already have gotten the name?" Ino asked. Now she really wondered how her mother got all these information by herself.

She never had the guts to ask though. She's not prepared to know the answer.

"It's someone named Iwashi something if I'm not mistaken." Her mother thought.

_Iwashi?_

_What of Iwashi?_ Her father's voice crowded into her mind just so suddenly. Ino gasped.

_Who's Iwashi? _Ino asked back her dad.

_Tatami Iwashi? The chuunin examiner of course. Doesn't recall the any other person with last name of first name Iwashi._

Oh. Now she could remember his face.

_So, is Iwashi related to Yoshino?_

_Huh? What's the relationship between them?_

Ino acted innocent.

"Ino? Ino? Ino dear?" Her mother called her. Ino gasped and looked at her mother.

_Mom's calling me, Dad. See you. I hope your mission in the Wave Country gone well._

_Thanks. I'll break this telepathy then._

"Umm … Yes, mom?"

"Are your dad contacting you again?" She asked. Ino nodded. The white haired woman sighed.

"Telepathy is so handy … I wish I were a ninja too." She said.

_Way to go mom. Have been wondering why you're not one all this time._

She smiled to her mother.  
"Okay, see you later, I guess. I have this promise with Sakura to shop for new clothes" Ino said as she walked out the door.

"Bye! Have fun shopping my dear!"

Ino found herself once again wandering around the street aimlessly. The pink haired female had been so busy with her hospital chore while Ino was practically free. Konoha had been in its stability after the fourth ninja war and running safely now, spying is not needed. So, their meeting time was still a little bit long. Thus, she stopped at a dango store to spot Anko was eating there with several tokubetsu jounins. Chuunin examiner always reminded her of Anko for some reason.

"Ino! How rare to see you here!" Anko greeted her as soon as she entered the shop.

"Anko! It's been a long time!" She greeted back warmly.

"Do you see, by any chance, Tatami-san?" Ino asked.

"He's just been here! I heard that he's going to a post near the gate with Tonbo and Mozuku." Anko said. Ino nodded.

"Thank you for your information!"

"Awww, hitting on Tatami now, Ino-chan?" Genma asked. Ino winked at him.

"Aren't you jealous Genma-san?" She asked playfully. Genma biting his senbon with his womanizer smile.

"Just kidding. That man was rumored having a tryst with Yoshino-san. I'd like to confirm if it were tru." Ino said easily and smiled at the long haired tokubetsu jounin and then she stared.

What did she had just said again?

XXX

"Sakura, I'm a little bit nervous right now." Ino started her story as the duo browsed through the rack. Sakura shrugged her head with a long nice purple dress on her hand.

"Why? Anyway, this would look good on you." She waved the dress.

"I coincidentally told Anko and several other tokubetsu jounin that Shika's mother was having a tryst with Tatami Iwashi-san." Sakura choked as she stared.

"Really? How could it be?"  
"I don't know. But it's a truth as Iwashi-san himself had confirmed it to me." Ino said. Sakura looked at her in awe.

"How could he tell you so? Is it 'hello, are Yoshino-san cheating on Shikaku-san with you?'?" Sakura asked. Her voice was soft, but Shizune was behind her and able to listen to the conversation.

"What?" She shrieked as she heard that. Ino and Sakura looked at each other with surprised look.

"Is it true, Ino? Oh my God! Poor Shikaku-san! No wonder he looked a little bit down when Tsunade-sama called him earlier in the morning. I should tell Tsunade-sama right away!" And, before Sakura and Ino could say anything to the black haired woman, she had stormed off the shop and went to nowhere.

"Oh God. I don't expect anyone to know about this." She sighed. Her mood for shopping was completely evaporated.

"It's okay. It's not like Shizune or Tsunade-sama would tell anyone else." Sakura tried to sooth her. Ino nodded.

She hoped so.

XXX

Sometimes, hope could be a reality, but not Ino's. The first thing she heard when she hit the road the next day was the gossip of Yoshino which made her felt bad about it.

Oh and more addition.

Nara Yoshino moved out from Konoha that very night and now she felt extra guilty about it. Yoshino was her second mother.

Oh God. She wished she could keep secret better than that. And worse, the first person she found that day when she came back home to take her pouch was not Sakura. Not Shizune. Not Iwashi.

It was Shikaku, sitting at her dining room, certainly looked pissed as he looked at her.

"Shikaku-san! I'm sorry!" She said.

"Why do you spread the word, Ino?"

"I never mean to." Ino said, trying to defend herself, even though knowing it was futile.

"Why do you dig on this news? Why do you want to know other people lives? Are you happy now that my household is completely shattered?" He asked repeatedly. His voice was not high, unlike his father when he was angry. But there are a lot of pressures in that voice. It's making her nervous.

Ino gulped.

"I'm … sorry. Shikaku-san. Once again. I don't know what else to say, but I never mean bad thing to you." Ino said. Curious was part of her trait and spreading gossip was part of hers too. It was an awkward silence of moment.

"I assure you it's not going to happen next time, Shikaku-san." Ino said softly. Shikaku stood up.

"It's too late, Ino. There's not going to be a next time." He said coldly as he went out of the door. Leaving Ino in guilt.

Ino ended stay on her room all day, sulking. It was her mother who once again stormed at her room.

"Ino dear! I heard Shikaku came here, doesn't he?" Her mother asked. Ino nodded sulkily.

"Did he get mad at you? Oh God, I'm going to teach him a lesson or two." Her mother said as she was about to leave the room but Ino stopped her.

"Don't, Mom. I indeed spread the word." She said sulkily. Her mother stopped and looked at her with bewilderment.

"How could you? It's Nara's family matter!" Her mother yelled in surprise.

"It's purely accident, Mom!" Ino said.

"Have you said sorry to Shikaku?" Her mother asked, this time gentler.

"I have mom. Twice. Oh I wish I could give him thousands. And to Yoshino-san too." Ino add the last sentence softly. My mother looked at her as if judging, and then closed her door. Ino hugged her knee and looked at her toe. Part of her wanted to blame her mother for telling her the news, but they share gossip all the time and this far, they always manage to filter which one to keep and which one to be spread out. Her mother knew when she slept with Sai. Thrice. But she kept it herself, not even bother telling her father. Her mother also knew when she did it with Genma. She asked her about it, asking for her reasoning and she kept it from her father.

Ino didn't take after her mom's ability to zip her mouth it seems like.

And beside, deep down in her heart, she felt like wanting to tell the whole world about the news the first time she heard that.

_So that you could reclaim your idol, Nara Shikaku-sama, Ino? _

A voice in her mind heard as it giggled. Ino furrowed her eyebrows. It was the voice of her cousin, Misao.

Yamanaka Misao was the daughter of Inoichi's brother. Their parents relationship was not close, but before Ino met Sakura, she played a lot with Misao who's older than her.

_Shut up, you bitch! And since when you are spying my mind?_

_I'm not shutting up since looks like it was true, isn't it, Ino? That's funny to remember how you used to babble, 'I will marry Shikaku-sama!' all the time_

Ino blushed and growled.

_That's not true and those were a mere childish babbling. Yoshino-san is one of the women who influenced my life and there's no way …_

_That you would steal Shikaku-san away from her? Now, Shikaku-san is alone. And maybe __**frustrated, **__Ino._

Misao stressed the word frustrated; making sure Ino knew what she's hinting.

_I don't want to talk to you!_

_Too bad I still want to talk. _Ino swore Misao enjoyed that.

_My suggestion is, go for it, Ino. _

…

_I bet he's experienced too, judged by his age and …_

_SHUT UP, MISAO! He's my teammate's father and I've known him all my life!_

_So what? Age is no longer a gap in this modern era._

_It's not the thing! I never even once to think that I would like to do something like that to him. It's completely inappropriate._

_He's hurt because of you, Ino. Shikamaru was out there in Sand. And sorry was never enough. Even if you gave him a mountain of something, it won't make him happy! The quickest and cheapest method of comforting him is to sleep with him. You like him. You had a huge crush with him. So what else?_

Ino frowned at her cousin's reasoning. It was true but one thing.

_He wouldn't want me._

This time, she could feel Misao was laughing out loud.

_Don't worry Ino. There's this technology called seduction._

_And also, _she added, _there's also this thing in our DNA that controlled our seduction skill. Seems like Yamanaka clan was gifted with dominant allele on that. You've proved yourself well, aren't you, Ino? With Sai, remember?_

This is why Ino hated Misao. She's always able to make her do something she wanted her to do.

_Fine._

Misao cheered at her mind.

_Beside, no one can resist the smell of a wounded man. Trust me._

Ino scoffed. Where the hell had she quoted things like that?

_Dress sexily. Good luck._

And Misao was gone from her mind.

The thing she hated about telepathy is, if you're not stay on guard, any family member could get inside your mind. And once they're in, you can't kick them out unless they voluntarily went out from your mind.

It wasn't a problem since its only family member, actually.

Ino hugged her knee.

Oh , what she's going to do now.

XXX

Part of her wanted his teammate's father not to be home when she knocked the door of their house. But he was there, opening the door, still in his ninja jacket. Ino was at loss of word.

"Ino." He said, as if had expected her coming.

"I'm sorry for earlier." He said again after a long moment of awkward silence. Ino looked at him.

"I'm the one who's sorry for everything. Here, I brought you some sake." Ino said as she handed six bottles of sake.

"You shouldn't but thank you," Shikaku took it from her.

There.

More awkward silence.

"May I … come in, Shikaku-san? " Ino asked politely. Shikaku hesitated for a bit as he eyed her suspiciously. But then he moved from the door, creating space for her.

"Sure. Come in." He said. Ino walked in the house. The house's scent bring her a lot of memory of childhood.

_I want to marry Shikaku-sama one day! _

Ino blushed at the thought. Shikaku guided her to the dining room and invited her to sit as she sat next to her.

"So, Ino? Is there anything you want to talk about?" He asked.

"Yes. It's about your problem." She said, surprising herself that she could talk so fluently like that.

"Look, Ino. I'm not in a state of wanting to talk about it so …"

"I'm the one who's responsible for that."

"Not you. You only spread the word. But sooner or later, people will know. It's inevitable." Shikaku said.

It was a silence.

"As an apologize for being such a big mouth," She started.

"I want to offer you my comforting." Ino said huskily.

It took time to even the genius Shikaku to understand what she meant.

"I don't understand what you mean, Ino." Shikaku said awkwardly, obviously hoping that what Ino meant was not the same with his understanding.

"I'm sure you understand what I mean. That thought crossed your mind just a second ago." She smirked impishly.

"Then you definitely out of your mind, Ino. I'm glad to refuse your offer." Shikaku said flatly.

_Haha! Rejection one!_

_Get off my mind dammit!_

"Is that so? You sure you don't want to take a peek of what is in the offering?" Ino scoot closer to him. Shikaku moved away from her. Her perfume was overwhelming. It made him more aware of her beauty face, her pale skin, her bare stomach, her shown thighs, and most of all ... her breast.

_Guess your pheromone perfume was working, eh, Ino?_

_MISAO! Get the hell out of my mind!_

_Okaaaay, okaaay_

Ino frowned and about to scoot closer when Shikaku stood up and casted the shadow bind jutsu on her.

"This ends here, Ino. I beg you, please, go back home. It's too much troublesome already."

Ino's face flat. She had actually offered it.

So, no matter how wantonly she had to be, it doesn't matter.

She's not going back.

XXX

Shikaku didn't know what in the hell was in his best friend's daughter's thought. Is she going insane by offering herself to him? What was just that in her mind?

"Is that so, Shikaku-_sama_?" She asked challengingly in a way that sent him chill down his spine. Surprising, the blonde female could walk toward him freely.

_The shadow bind is not working?_

He felt himself wanting to take a step back, but can't. It felt like a meteor had crashed into him. He was binded by his own jutsu.

"It's something called Mirror Jutsu, Shikaku-sama." Ino said, as she caressed the older man's cheek.

_Think something, think something ..._

"Just stop thinking." She whispered, reading his mind, before fell into the joy of kissing him. Their kiss was brief and one-sided. For now, it's best for him to try his best to keep his lips sealed.

He's not going to be tempted by anything like this.

He had overcome much more temptation in his life and survived it.

"You taste like sake, aren't you?" Ino said as she pulled out from her kiss.

"I should never ever let you in." He snarled. Ino cackled.

"Yes, yes. You should never let me in." She said, dipped into another kiss with him. Once again, Shikaku kept his lips sealed. But Ino was nothing but persistant.

"Shikaku-sama ... open your mouth to me, won't you?" She asked, hugging him.

"No." He said quickly before Ino could look for chances.

"I have to work for my bread, am not I, Shikaku-sama? You meanie." She pouted wantonly and kissed him, this time her hands snaked down there. Shikaku felt like protesting a lot, but the bind was too strong.

_Damn_

Her hands eventually reached the down part of his body as it cleverly slipped into his boxer, downright touching his member.

The feeling of a hand rubbing against it was almost to overwhelming. He gasped. Ino plunged her tongue in.

"Ino." Shikaku said amidst their kiss. His logic was in blur now. He could escape this if there's no fuckin' jutsu binding him. Yamanaka is such a tricky clan for creating that kind of jutsu.

"What is it, Shikaku-sama?" Ino asked while shaking the starting-to-harden member fast.

"Don't do it. It's too much trouble. Stop. Now." He tried to put some sternous tone in his voice, only to failed miserably among his gasp.

Ino sure knew what to do with her hands.

"Okay." Ino stopped her hands.

A huge part of him felt disappointment, but he cannot help to felt relieved. He's glad that Ino had found some ... He looked at Ino.

Ino kneeled in front of him as she undid his pants and boxer and looked at his dick.

"Ino! No!"

He knew where this is going. Ino kissed it. The sensation was stirring in his stomach making it throbbed more.

"You like that, Shikaku-sama? Let's see if you like this one."

_NO! DAMMIT! NO!_

Then, she allowed herself to put her mouth in it.

The sensation was beyond imagination. He never had oral before, Yoshino was not the adventurous type. And he's okay with it. And it's been a long time since he has sex anyway.

"Ino..." Shikaku said softly. Ino resiliently sucked his head with one hand she shook his shaft and with the other hand she skillfully massage his twin balls. The older man couldn't help moaning whenever she licked or carressed his sensitive spot. She learnt the spot quickly.

At the point she goes deep throat, Shikaku jerked his member deeper, which the blonde greedily accept and shot his load to her mouth.

"Like it, Shikaku-sama?" Ino asked with his cum dropped on her beauty lips. Shikaku didn't answer.

He could move. The jutsu had wore off

But he also knew, lust had eaten over him and there's no space of logic for more in his mind.

To hell with the consequence.

XXX

Shikaku opened his eyes with Ino riding on him. Oh God. Last night wasn't a dream at all apparently. As he felt his climax was already close, he helped the girl by jerking his hips while his hands appreciatively squeezed the breast.

They came together as Ino collapsed on him after pulling out his member from her core.

"Shikaku-sama ..." She whispered. Somehow, he had used to the suffix after hearing Ino mentioned it, screamed it, moaned it several times.

"I'm not on the pill," She continued. Shikaku froze.

Last night sex was completely unprotected as Ino didn't give him a time to think about things like that.

"I will ..." Ino's giggled interrupted him.

"Just kidding," She said, kissing the man's scar, and continued kissing his lips. Shikaku kissed back passionately while Ino started grinding over his lap. He could feel his stomach stirred once again.

"Dad?"

Ino and Shikaku both turned to the source of voice.

Shikamaru stood before them.

Stunned.

**-OWARI****—**

** That's it! Please review whether it's good or bad! Do you think I should continue this story? XOXO, jonidep ;D**


	2. Chapter 2

HELLO! I decided to continue the story since I feel uneasy to let the story hung like that .

Naruto is definitely not mine.

Read and review and have fun!

**The Morning After**

Shikaku opened his eyes abruptly that morning. He panted heavily. He was on his bedroom, amidst the deep silence of the late morning. There's no Shikamaru standing before his bed and looked surprised.

_Thank God it's a dream. If it were a fact it would be very troublesome ..._

His breath fastened when he turned his head to his left and noticed a naked blonde woman slept deeply, her hands hugging his left arm. There was this huge part of him that felt relief when he saw the platinum blonde.

_At least that means I'm not that frustrated that I have to fantasize about Inoichi's daughter._

As the name of Inoichi crossed his mind, Shikaku winced. He had been trying to avoid thinking about the aftermath of these actions last night. Not that he thought about it but in a very short moment, since Ino did a good job by kept fulfilling his mind with lust, lust, and lust only. Oh and one more thought. Lust. The Yamanaka heiress had managed to fulfill all of his sexual fantasy and even introducing new things to him.

Ino was the polar opposite of Yoshino. His last wife (even though they hadn't officially divorced) was a very conservative woman and he was too lazy to even suggest any kinkiness. He hated conflict when it's not necessary.

Or probably, Yoshino was too embarassed to ask for it as well. Who knows what she might do with that Iwashi guy ... Shikaku took a deep breath as the whole feeling of jealousy, madness, confusion rose up again on his mind.

_Forget it. What's done is done. _He scolded his own mind.

Ino moved slowly, stealing his attention as he watched her rubbing her nose and hugged her arm tighter as if she didn't want to lose him.

_Oh yes. Her. The aftermath._

He knew exactly from the very first start, without having to think about it, that if there were even only one other single person knew about this affair, everything was not going to be the same anymore. He growled at the thought of explaining to Inoichi what had happened that he had to get laid with his daughter who's 25 years his junior. And just as old as his own son. And how will Shikamaru reacted to this? The boy was probably couldn't take the fact that his mother was cheating on a much younger chuunin like Iwashi, left alone finding out that his ex-teammate had an affair with his father.

For now, it's best to keep this as a secret, his darkest secret he would never tell to anyone. Though he knew, that this whole affair was definitely not on its end.

It had just begun.

XXX

_Ino. _The voice of her father was the one that woke her up in the morning.

_Mm, yes , Dad? _She answered sleepily.

_Where are you now? My mom had been searching for you! _Inoichi asked, obviously worried about her whereabout.

_I have a sleepover . Dad, I'm still sleeping. Could we talk later? _She asked as she opened her azure eyes, her first sight was a man with sexy goatee and two scars on his face who was looking up at the ceiling, thinking.

_Sure. _And Inoichi was out of her mind. She guarded it again so there were no mind-intruders and tugged Shikaku's arm, stealing his attention.

"Oh, you've woken up." He said, looking at her who gazed at him with amazement.

_I did it. I really did it._

"My dad had just contacted me." She told her. Shikaku frowned in dismay.

"I'm going to tell him that I'm staying here. Talking to you and comfort you as my part of apology for spreading the gossips." Ino said. She had planned this thoroughly. Shikaku nodded.

"And I'm staying because well, there was rainstorm last night, and so I can't go home." She had to push aside her envy to Misao for her ability to control weather and thank her for it now. It could be a whole lot more difficult to find a reason to stay there hadn't she able to learn that.

"You sure are lucky there were heavy rainstorm last night." Shikaku commented. Ino grinned wolfishly as she carressed the older man's chest before finally straddling him and kissed him passionately. He kissed back as fierce as ever. He felt the dizzying stir in his nether part of his body as Ino started to grind her body against him. His breath fastened, but then a thought came across his mind. He should tell her that it should be kept strictly secret and no one should know. Even that pink haired friend of her.

He should tell her before lust consumed him.

"Ino, Ino. We have to talk first." He called out to her, managed to said that quite fluently under his arousal. Ino sat up and looked at him with a sultry look.

"Talk about what, Shikaku-sama?" She grind more, making him shiver in pleasure. "I'm horny." Shikaku gulped as he noticed that her finger was rubbing her own clit now.

_Well_, Shikaku thought as he sat up and sucked on her nipples hungrily.

_We still have a lot of time to talk anyway. That talk could be stalled._

XXX

"Wow." Ino panted heavily as she moved herself closer to Shikaku, snuggling to his chest. Shikaku smiled at her, his hands carresed her soft hair. He felt like asking her how her hair could still smell this good – a mix of lavender and milk – while they already had countless sex and one of them involving her hair.

"What time is it?" Ino asked after she managed to control her breath. Shikaku glanced at the clock on his night table.

"2 PM." Shikaku said hoarsely. Ino growled as she remembered her appointment with Hinata, Kiba, Neji, Lee, and Tenten to spar together.

Oh how _lovely_ it will be if she could skip that. But her father would scold her to death if she skipped this one. Again.

And that's probably the last thing she wants.

"I have to go." She murmured. Shikaku raised his eyebrows.

"Where?"

"Sparring with the kids. I haven't done any mission in a long time, so my dad suggesting sparring to maintain my ninja skill."

"Well, yes, I think you should go." Shikaku said. Ino felt a huge blow of disappointmnent hit her, he didn't even try to thwart her departure. Ino nodded and gathered her clothing, only to found that they were ripped and certainly to her that her underwear were safe.

"Shikaku-sama." She called him.

"Yes?"

"I definitely can't use this." She showed him his clothing and giggled.

"I think I still have my clothes here when I sleepover here several months ago." Ino said and then she went to Shikamaru's room taking her clothes then she went to the bathroom, and took a bath. After doing some make up, she finally went out from the bathroom, looking prim as usual.

"Well then, I should go." She noticed that Shikaku had wore his clothing too as they walked to the front door.

"Goodbye." Shikaku said. Ino searched his eyes. It seems like every Nara was blessed with flat emotion. She hesitantly leaned in, giving him a short, heartfelt kiss on the lips.

_What goodbye? _She felt like asking him so but didn't have any gut to.

"Farewell." She said and went out from the house.

Shikaku gave her an awkward nod before she disappeared in a flash.

Shikaku closed the door.

Damn. He can't brought up the topic of not telling anyone about this affair with her.

Something hindered him from saying so. He felt like she might be hurt, she might feel taken for granted and he didn't want to hurt anyone else anymore.

He hoped she understood without him having to tell her about that.

XXX

"Ino-chan! You are late! I've already done 50 laps running around Konoha and 1000 push-ups!" Lee said as Ino joined the team. Ino gave him an innocent smile.

"Where are you last night? Your mother kept contacting Hyuuga family all night in case you stay in our mansion." Neji asked, his eyes searched hers. Ino looked away.

Why is Neji here? He's a jounin and supposed to have more chores, isn't he?

"Well ... I ..." She looked away. When she lied, Neji will right away detect it just like a liar sensor.

"I have a sleepover in Nara's house." She said. She's not lying at that one isn't she?

"Why don't you tell your mother and guarding your mind all night then?" He interrogated her.

"Neji! Stop it! You annoy her. It's her own business of what she is doing there. Yamanaka and Nara clan is very close, so probably Ino was out there trying to comfort Shikaku-san and help him forget about ... _the latest incident._ Right, Ino?" Tenten smiled at her and Ino couldn't feel more thankful to the Chinese girl.

"Yes."

"Oh come on! Let's just start sparring! My blood and Akamaru's is already heated with excitement." Kiba grinned.

"Great idea!" Lee immediately agreed. Neji gave Ino one final suspicious glance before joining the boys. Ino sighed as she joined the girls and sparred together.

She really is lacking of training, apparently. During the first two hour, Tenten had managed to succesfully threw ten shurikens all over her body, and Hinata had managed to used her light jyuuken and almost hit her stomach and her thigh. Well, she did cause them some wounds too, but it's not major at all.

"Ino! Pay attention!" Tenten said as she threw more shurikens at her. Ino barely dodged it, she jumped behind Hinata, using Hinata as her shield who repelled the projectiles away immediately with her excellent Hyuuga skill. Ino sighed in relief.

"Why don't you use your mind technique, Ino?" Kiba asked from the side of their training yard. The boys was done with the training.

"Today is taijutsu training, I think?" She replied, dodging Hinata's jyuuken.

"Ino-chan! So here you are!" The light voice she knew very well which she only heard on her mind lately heard. She took a quick step back out from the yard and noticed the strawberry blonde female with curvaceous body stood on the side. Yamanaka Misao waved at her pleasantly.

"Misao!" She gasped as her cousin eyed her from head to toes.

"You're wounded everywhere. Not in a very good condition aren't you?" She asked.

"Yes. It's been a long time since the last time I train." Ino said, wincing as Misao touched her wound on her arm with a green chakra, healing them.

"I think that's enough for now. I want to talk to you." She winked.

"Misao-san. What a surprise." Neji greeted her as he shot her an unpleasant look. Misao looked back at him with a smile.

"Neji-san! I'm sorry that Ino's mother kept bugging the Hyuuga family last night." She smiled nicely to him. Neji looked at Ino.

"Well, it's normal if your daughter were gone to nowhere without telling her anything..." He said, looking at Ino. Neji sure smelled something suspicious. But Ino won't let him know anything. Not a hint.

"I think we should go for now, Misao." Ino tugged her cousin's hand.

"Okay! Bye, Neji-san."

As the cousins walked away from the training ground, Neji looked at their back. He knew it's not one of his business. But he felt like something went really wrong.

He cared about Ino anyway. The blonde girl had caught his attention since they redo their chuunin exam the next year after the incident. Too bad his pride didn't let him showed it obviously, and beside he didn't know if Ino felt the same way about him too.

_Well, whatever_. He thought to himself and went back to have his own training.

XXX

"I don't understand why Neji wants to mingle a lot in this. And he knew when I lie!" Ino grumbled as they entered her room. There's currently no one in her house which made the cousins could talk about anything freely.

"I think it's obvious, Ino. He loves you." Misao gave her a naughty smile. Ino snorted.

"If mingling a lot means that you love someone. Then it would mean that Sakura, Asuma-sensei, Iruka-sensei, Tsunade-sama, Shizune-san, Shino, and a whole lot of other people loves me too. No one send me their love letter yet, though." Ino said sarcastically.

"Well, but I know Neji, Ino. He cared for you. Had it been Sakura who went lost last night, he wouldn't even give a damn about it."

"Beside Sakura's mother didn't know the Hyuuga clan very well. So she probably won't contact the Hyuuga clan like that." Ino added. Misao cackled.

"Anyway, to the next topic. How's last night? Damn, I've been trying to contact you all night but you had your mind guarded!"

"Of course! What if my father suddenly contacted me with all those dirty thought in my mind? I would be dead by now, probably." Ino said. Misao nodded in understanding.

"So, how's it? Is he any good?" She asked eagerly, her eyes shone in excitement.

"Yes, he is. He's lacking of kinky experience but he's great, Misao." Ino said.

"Though I don't know what's ahead of us after this." Ino added.

"I mean, is this suppose to be a one night thing? Or is this a relationship which will continue? I don't know, Misao." She explained her confusion.

"Well, what do you want Ino?" She asked back. Ino looked taken aback by the question and blushed.

"I want this to continue, though I'm not sure how long I could keep this a secret. "

"Oh Ino, since when you become so pessimistic like that?" Misao teased her.

"I'm serious, Misao."

"So am I. No one will know." Misao winked confidently at her, comforting her. Ino nodded and smiled at her.

"Anyway, Ino, one last question about this topic."

"Yes?"

"Do you really love Shikaku-san? Answer honestly."

"Yes. I do. I really do." She blushed as she answered.

A second after she said so, a sound of glasses shattered heard. Ino gasped as she went out of her room and found her mother gathering the pieces of the glasses that was broken.

"Ah. Ino, dear. I'm sorry I ..."

They exchanged meaningful look to each other. And just in a second, Ino understood.

_Her mother knew._

to be continued ...

**Ino's mother knew! She had let her do her own thing with Genma and Sai without telling her father, but with Shikaku? That's a whole different thing.**

**Oh, and yes I know I suck at writing citrus content. Forgive me if it disgusts you, or sounds tacky or whatever :p  
**

**Anyway, REVIEW WILL BE VERY MUCH APPRECIATED. Thank you. ^^  
**


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